Sheetz begins petition drive for beer sales in Pa.

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — The Altoona-based Sheetz convenience store chain has started a petition drive to convince Pennsylvania lawmakers that customers want to buy beer in its stores.

Thwarted in the courts, chairman Steve Sheetz wants a law allowing convenience stores to sell beer — something he’s envisioned since the chain was founded more than 40 years ago.

Sheetz had a license to sell beer in one Altoona store, but the state Supreme Court nixed that in June.

Sheetz was selling the beer in a fast-food area of the store to comply with a law allowing eateries to sell beer, but ran afoul of the law by not letting customers also drink in that section of the store.

Sheetz has more than 350 stores six states, including more than 200 in Pennsylvania.